IVLP Virtual Exchange

 Greetings!

Sara Kross, Ph.D.

Smith Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UC Davis and The Nature Conservancy

Last Tuesday, our Iceland Virtual Exchange participants met with Ms. Sara Kross, Ph.D., a Smith Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of California, Davis and The Nature Conservancy. She discussed her work with NGOs and farmers on a number of avian conservation projects and how they quantified and communicated the economic benefits of conservation and preservation of those species.

While studying for her doctorate at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, NZ, Ms. Kross worked with local grape farmers in Marlborough, New Zealand to reintroduce falcons. She explained to our Icelandic participants how she first examined the economic motivations of restoring bird habitats for farmers. In this instance, she made the case that grape farmers would lose less of their crop to pests if falcons were reintroduced in the lowlands. Given that this area was also a big wine-producing region, the less crops lost to pests, the more money they would save and the more wine would be produced. Once farmers were on board with this argument, the next step involved helping local residents overcome their fear of falcons. She helped start a non-profit organization, the Marlborough Falcon Trust, dedicated to raising awareness of and educating the public on the species. Ms. Kross also stressed the importance of getting a diverse group involved, not just scientists or environmentalists. Environmental NGOs must be inclusive, get the community involved (local businesses, volunteers, students). In one case, she partnered with a local hunting store and asked hunters to go out and hunt for food for the falcons instead of killing the falcons themselves. Advocacy efforts also included outreach at a local school as well as with a rugby team. In 2012, New Zealand residents voted the falcon as “bird of the year.”

Following her time in New Zealand, Ms. Kross discussed her work in California where she is currently working on individual projects to revitalize old ecosystems in the state’s Central Valley. She decided to apply the same methods she used in New Zealand to her projects here. Her research showed that many farms had a lot of overused land that was no longer viable planting ground. They also used a lot of pesticides to protect their crops. She thought, why not utilize some of that space to replant native species and help bring back or keep native birds who would also act as natural pest deterrents? Although these projects have not yet been completed, early data shows there are some benefits to from having more birds around the fields.

You’ve established a sound policy for your organization

You’ve built sustainable partnerships with the private sector

You’ve developed social media accounts and created a message strategy for your organization

The next step: How do you organize the public and effectively utilize volunteers to help with your mission?

Members of two U.S. environmental organizations met with our participants this week to build upon previous meetings on messaging and social media to learn how to use those messages to mobilize the public in support of a cause. Mr. Quinton Bauer, the Statewide Program Manager at SOLVE, a non-profit organization located in Portland, Oregon, shared his appreciation for “citizen scientists” and talked about volunteer efforts that the community participates in to restore Oregon’s natural spaces and maintain the diverse features that the state is so proud of. The participants learned that Ms. Mary Cerullo, Associate Director, and Mr. Peter Milholland, Citizen Stewards Coordinator, both from the Friends of Casco Bay marine stewardship organization in Portland, Maine are engaging the public in many similar ways as SOLVE.

Both organizations, seek effective solutions to problems that threaten their natural resources and use advocacy, education and outreach to build collaborative partnerships with the public. SOLVE holds regular beach and riverside cleanups, native tree planting events, and creates an average of 50,000 volunteer opportunities in 185 communities across the state of Oregon. 

Friends of Casco Bay devotes its work towards the environmental health of the Casco Bay and their signature program of “Bayscaping” is a six-step program for homeowners on environmentally friendly lawn care. Some participants plan to work with these organizations to learn about ways that they can become involved in their efforts internationally, especially in regards to Friends of Casco’s Bay international “Waterkeeper” movement, an effort to safeguard waterways for the entire population. 

Funding is a constant battle in the non-profit community. But one way to offset costs and increase visibility is through partnerships with private companies. Ms. Atlanta McIlwraith, the Senior Manager for Community Engagement and Communication at Timberland, recently met with our participants to talk about the outdoor clothing company’s own corporate social responsibility initiatives and their partnerships with local and international environmental NGOs.

When searching for service partners, Timberland seeks out organizations with similar values or ideals and projects that will resonate the most with their consumers. Timberland’s “Green Standard” provides a clear roadmap that provides the company direction in its outreach activities.

    The Marketing team also plays an important role in identifying projects that would most interest the company’s consumers. In order to better serve the interests of its clients, Timberland will soon unfold its “G-Research” initiative, which will help the company better understand their clients by identifying and cataloguing their interests.